According to the journal article of clinical and research news (2004), a disease can be defined as a complicated relationship existing between the environment of an individual and the general genetic makeup that combines together resulting in an abnormal state of physiology that is reflected in signs and symptoms (Pg 15). The article further defines addiction as a complex societal and health problem which has the potential of destroying peoples’ lives and communities (Pg 19). Studies on brain have shown that addiction can have a great influence on the brain areas and especially when it comes to decision making, memory, learning and behavior control. In order to overcome this situation the addiction problem should be addressed since the issue of whether addiction is disease or not has raised many concerns with many people arguing that addiction is not a disease rather a moral failing or negative behavior (Pg 30). My point of view in this essay is that addiction is disease not moral failing.
According to the journal article of Psychiatric News (2004), addiction is a disease (Pg 32).The journal describes addiction as a illness by using the disease representation model which describes addiction as a difficult disease like other diseases (Pg 33). It further states that addiction is associated with physiological, genetic, nutritional and environmental factors which are key factors that need to be addressed for the situation to be corrected (Pg 40).Like other diseases addiction causes a person to act in unhealthy way and adapt a compulsive behavior that they carry out uncontrollably around with chronic use of a certain substance or stimulus such as alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling or cigarettes (Pg 50). On the other hand studies in this journal shows that some other people argue that addiction is not a disease rather a moral failing or character problem caused by degeneracy or lack of will power (Pg 51).
In the journal article of Psychiatric News (2004), drug addiction is also seen as major disease of addiction that affects the brain (Pg 60).The article defines drug addiction as a persistent brain damage which causes a person to heavily use drugs and despite destructive penalties associated with it (Pg 65).Drug addiction has been known to have undesirable results which may include escalating communal stigma and individual shame which contributes to an individual not seeking treatment in time. It is a brain disease that results in the change of the overall structure of the mind and how it functions (Pg 68). These changes do not easily end and can make people to behave in a manner that is not desirable especially by people who consume the drugs. The addiction disease has a long lasting effect on the brain and can have harmful effect on a person’s brain and conduct which has been proved by research done by scientists who prove that natural and ecological factors add to the growth and evolution of the disease (Pg 78). On the other hand studies in this journal shows that other people argue that addiction is not a disease rather a negative bad behavior which people often experience as a compelling motivation (Pg 79).
According to the journal of Psychiatric News people view it as just a bad behavior like other behaviors that include nail biting, overeating, wife beating etc. They argue that it is a self-defeating and anti-social behavior which people engage in because they feel degraded and disapproved of which motivates them to continue the negative behavior since they feel that the balance of their internal desires and rewards is not to act that way (Pg 80). Furthermore they argue that since it is just a negative behavior it can be corrected whenever the person is given an opportunity and support to makes positive choices (Pg 81).
According the generic model explained in the journal article of Volkow May Have Uncovered Answer to Addiction Riddle (2004), addiction is seen a disease which is caused by susceptibility genes that someone has in his/her body which indicates a propensity for certain behaviors (Pg 20). Evidence from the development studies of twins illustrate that addiction is a disease that is categorized like other heritable diseases since genes play a role since they influence a person to develop a drug addiction character (Pg 26) Genes can play a great role to protect an individual from using drugs or becoming an addict as the genes relate with ecological risk and defensive factors genetically to determine the way and effect of the disease (Pg 28).The model gives an example of AI allele of the dopamine receptors DRD2 gene that is shared with people who are likely to have problems with addiction to alcohol, cocaine or gambling compulsive(Pg 33).The theory argues that this causes opioid cravings for an individual hence influencing the individual to start using drugs and making it difficult to withdrawal from drugs which in the end becomes a disease that can treated (Pg 35).
Studies in the journal article of Jim Rosack shows that not all people believe the genetic model, other people argue that the genes are not solely responsible for drug abuse and addiction since there are no mechanisms that can make a person to become completely unable to control substance abuse nor go on tremendous binges or live without connection to the environments in order to consume a substance (Pg 35). They wrap up a conclusion that hereditary theories do not clarify the knowledge on the loss of control since they reveal fundamentally anti scientific attitudes that lack understanding of the power of human motivation to react to response, experience, environmental science and external stimuli (Pg 38).
According to the journal article of Psychiatric News (2004),dependency on alcohol and other drugs was termed by people as a moral problem since the person addicted to it was seen as weak-willed and an individual who do not care about his/her life and other individuals (Pg 82).Studies in book shows that the situation has been corrected by medical doctors, clergy and other medical professionals after the realization that chemical consumption is a disease which responds to treatment (Pg 83).Studies further in this journal point out that addiction as a disease has many features that are related to other kinds of diseases which are also influenced by ecological conditions and activities that have the ability to respond to correct treatment which may include long-term lifestyle and adjustment.(Pg 85).
On the other hand, studies in this journal article of Psychiatric (2004), shows that not all people agree with this idea others argue that no one chooses to be a drug addict or to develop heart disease (Pg 87).This implies that the people may choose behaviors that have undesirable effects unknowingly due to lack of personal responsibility and good character. They therefore argue that addiction is not like other composite diseases which requires a lot if attention from medical practitioners (Pg 90).
In the journal article of Volkow May Have Uncovered Answer to Addiction Riddle (2004), studies shows that people oppose the disease model and prefer life process model of addiction as they argue that labeling people as addicts make them not to develop self control but rather stigmatizes them (Pg 28).They further argue that the disease approach has not discovered any natural mechanisms that can be identified with the addiction behavior nor justify addiction as disease which is a great implication that addiction cannot be termed as a disease rather a habitual response that can be corrected by building social relationships(Pg 50). However the medical practitioners in this journal article argue that such definition is wrong since not all diseases require a mechanism to be identified which implies that addiction is a disease (Pg 52). In conclusion, addiction is a complex chronic disease like other diseases which can be treated hence should be seen as neither a moral failing nor a negative behavior.
Works cited
Psychiatric News: American Psychiatric Association; Volume 39, Number 11; Pg 32-90, (2004).
Clinical and Research News; Pg 15-30, (2004). Volkow May Have Uncovered Answer to Addiction Riddle; Pg 20-66.
Jim Rosack; Pg 22-28, (2004).